Banjo



Jan. 23, 1940.

|. ANGEL! 2,188,127

BANJO Filed Aug. 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor fiarz'a flfigeZz',

Aifnrneus Jan. 23, 1940. L ANGEU 2,188,127

BANJO Filed Aug. 2, 1938 o I o 63 62 o o o 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Inventor,4. flzzrz'o in; 622', 7 7

By 2mm Patented Jan. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ApplicationAugust 2,

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to banjos and similar musical instrumentsand has for its primary object to provide a detachable neck or handlefor the body or box of the instrument in order that the parts may bedisassembled and more conveniently carried or stored.

An object of the invention is to provide a unitary detachable neck whichforms a mounting for the strings of the instrument to avoid the commonpractice of securing the strings directly to the box and which weakensthe box when the strings are tightened.

A further object is to provide means for quickly detaching and attachingthe neck with respect to the body of the instrument, which at the sametime embodies simplicity of construction, which does not affect the toneof the instrument or necessitate a readjustment of the strings and whichis" otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same isintended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout and in which Figure l is a topplan view.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on a line 22 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the body or box of the instrument, and

Figure 4 is an inverted transverse sectional View taken substantially ona line 44 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention,the numeral 5 designates the box or body of a banjo or similar stringedinstrument and the numeral 6 designates the neck thereof. Integrallyformed with the neck is a frame "I having a sound opening 1 thereinimmediately above the sound ports 5' of the box, said frame also havingan opening 8 therein and within which is positioned the bridge member 9having shoulders I!) on its opposite end edges for bearing against theside portions H of said last named opening, the bridge being adjustablelongitudinally in the opening as will be apparent from an inspection ofFigure 1 of the drawing. The upper edge of the bridge is formed withnotches 52 for receiving the strings l3, the inner ends of the stringsbeing anchored to pins M in another opening I4 in the frame.Accordingly, it will be apparent 1938, Serial No. 222,705

from the foregoing that the strings are carried by the frame and theneck portions 1 and 6.

Recessed in the top l5 of the box 5 is a plate l6 having a recess llformed therein, the upper surface of the box being formed with a keyholeopening it for removably receiving the head of a screw l9 projectingfrom the under side of the front portion of the frame I.

To the upper surface [5 of the box is also secured a plate 20 having aninternally threaded plug 2| countersunk therein for threadedly receivinga screw 22 carried by the frame 1 adjacent its rear end, the outer endof the screw being provided with a manipulating knob 24. The plug isretained in position by means of a nut 23 threaded on the inner end ofthe plug. The screw is yieldably urged outwardly by an expansible coilspring 25 head 24 as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 2 ofthe drawings.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the screw 22 may be releasedand the frame 1 moved forwardly with respect to the box 5 whereby thescrew !9 may become disengaged from the keyhole slot 18 and thus permitdetaching of the frame and neck from the box.

It is believed the details of construction and manner of operation ofthe device will be readily understood from the foregoing without furtherdetailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim is- 1. In a musicalinstrument including a sound box, a neck having a frame formed at itsinner end, means carried by said neck and frame providing a mounting fora plurality of strings and means for detachably securing the frame tothe box, said last named means comprising a keyhole slot in the box, aheaded member carried by the frame slidably engaging the slot and a boltcarried by the frame and having threaded engagement with the box.

2. In a musical instrument including a sound box, a neck having a frameformed at its inner end, means carried by said neck and frame providinga mounting for a plurality of strings and means for detachably securingthe frame to the box, said last named means comprising a block embeddedin the front end of the box and having a keyhole slot, a block embeddedin the box adjacent its rear end and having an internally threaded plug,a fixed headed member carried by the frame slidably engaging said slotand a bolt threaded through the rear portion of the frame for threadedengagement with said plug.

positioned under the' 3. In a musical instrument, a sound box, a neckhaving a fiat frame at its inner end, a headed pin carried by the frame,a keyhole slot formed in the box adapted to receive the head of the pinand to secure the same against removal when the pin is positioned in thenarrow end of the slot, said pin being slidable into a position at thewide end of the slot for removal therefrom and an anchoring member atthe inner end of the frame detachably engaging the box to secure theframe against sliding movement.

4. In a musical instrument, a sound box, a

the frame to the box and securing the frame 10 against sliding movement.

. ILARIO ANGELI.

